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December 15, 2009

PARC targets end of business by July 1

By DAN HEATH

PLATTSBURGH — The Plattsburgh Airbase Redevelopment Corp. continues to reduce its workforce as it works toward going out of existence.

PARC CEO Bruce Steadman said the plan calls for an end by July 1. The corporation is down to four full-time employees and two part-time employees. PARC officials took time to say goodbye to Rollie McGee, who ended his 14-year career at PARC last week.

"Rollie has been a loyal, unselfish and tireless worker on behalf of PARC since it began. Prior to that, he was a decorated U.S. Army veteran and also worked for the U.S. Air Force," Duken said.

He said McGee has been responsible for the safekeeping and disposition of thousands of personal property items and vehicles left behind by the Air Force, and he has had some role in just about every meeting, tour, trip, visit or briefing ever held by PARC.

"It will be hard to imagine life at PARC without Roland McGee," Duken said.

PARC CEO Bruce Steadman echoed that sentiment.

"I've worked with a lot of people over the years. Rollie is right at the top of the list," he said.

McGee took time to thank the PARC Board and staff.

"Since I came to PARC, this is without a doubt the best job anyone could have," he said. "Thank you very much."

Duken said Monday's Board of Directors meeting might have been the last in the large PARC conference room at 130 Arizona Ave.

"We have prospective buyers interested in acquiring this building and the surrounding parcel of land, and the use of this room may not be available to us next year," he said.

The room has been witness to many exciting moments in PARC history, Duken said. Those include close to 100 public board meetings, the first Economic Development Conveyance in 2001, the initial property sales in 2002, the unveiling of the Flying High Again book on the history of PARC in 2008 and the FOSET announcement in July.

Future meetings may be held upstairs in a smaller conference room in the PARC offices.

Steadman said there are nine parcels obligated for sale and six more to be transferred under the FOSET.

PARC is still marketing another 10 parcels, he said. In delivering the Engineering Department report, Kristy Dantes said the focus is on the 22-acre parcel at the intersection of Route 9 and New York Road.

Dantes said the former Air Force animal clinic and later Post Office building has been razed. It would have cost more to rehabilitate or renovate, she said.

PARC Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Lee Mitchell said year-to-date rents are 99.8 percent collected. Mitchell said there have been 11 property transactions since the fiscal year that started July 1, triggered when PARC received deeds under the Finding of Suitability for Early Transfer this summer.

She said four additional closings are anticipated this month or early in 2010.

E-mail Dan Heath at: dheath@pressrepublican.com

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